There was high drama at the Whitey Bulger today as Pat Nee — an avowed former criminal from South Boston who Bulger’s lawyers had planned to call as a witness — walked out of court without testifying.
Nee previously spent more than a decade in prison. Over the course of the Bulger trial, he’s been linked to a host of misdeeds for which he was never prosecuted, including the 1981 killing of Debra Davis and the 1982 murders of Brian Halloran and Michael Donahue.
If Nee had taken the stand, Bulger’s team might have attempted to pin some of Bulger’s alleged crimes on him — while arguing that the government seems more interested in pursing Bulger than Nee. But today, after a sidebar conference in which Nee’s lawyer apparently said he would take the Fifth, Nee exited court without taking the stand.
As a rule, Nee isn’t shy about publicity: he’s the author of a memoir (“A Criminal and an Irishman: The Inside Story of the Boston Mob – IRA connection) and stars in a new reality show (“Saint Hoods,” a Discovery Channel program on Boston bookies that premieres this week). But as he left court today, Nee had no comment for the press:
Nee’s ability to avoid being called as a defense witness was especially frustrating for Michael Donahue’s son Tommy, who’s been a regular presence at the Bulger trial. After court wrapped up today, Tommy Donohue marveled at law enforcement’s seeming disinterest in pursuing Nee futher:
Instead, we heard today former FBI agents James Crawford and Fred Davis, who said that during Bulger’s heyday was enabled by a chaotic and corrupt Boston office. Also discussed at length: whether Bulger was or wasn’t an FBI informant – an issue that has no legal relevance but that both sides seem obsessed with.
The day closed with Judge Casper pressing Bulger’s lawyers on whether or not Bulger will take the stand. Their answer? A resounding “maybe.”
“Saint Hoods” trailer:
